For 40 years, the Crossmen have enriched and shaped the lives of young musicians through music education and the performing arts. The 2014 Drum Corps International summer tour represents Crossmen's 40th competitive season. Follow along as Crossmen Executive Director and Corps Director, Fred Morrison, records the daily highlights of the Crossmen Alma Gitana Tour.

Crossmen Blog

2013 Crossmen Protest Tour

It was an easy 190 miles on the interstate to Salem, VA. We have a short day at the housing site before we head out to the Salem Stadium. Two short blocks are the order of the day starting with wake up at 9:00 am and the EPL at 4:00 pm.

The Salem Show is one we have visited in the not to distant past and is notable for the being on the Salem County Civic Center with a minor league baseball park and exhibition hall. The exhibition hall hosts a dog show each year at the same time the drum corps show is at the football stadium on these grounds. Tonight there is a baseball game too. With all of the activity the property is a beehive of people and vehicles heading for each of the venues.

There are show dogs in pens outside each of the RV's parked in formation outside the civic center. The animals are some of the best in breed. Everyone seems to enjoy having the animals there and some of the dogs are allowed to be petted by the drum corps show visitors.

We are going on after intermission so set up is casual due to having an extra 5 minutes to get everything on the field and the electronics powered up. This is our best performance to date. Crossmen are greeted to a full stadium and the audience is on their feet both at the Peace sign and the final conclusion of the show. They applauded our efforts all during the show.

We eat snack have a few moments to relax and then the convoy heads out. We are on our way to the Crossmen birthplace in West Chester, PA.

Mr. Clean has reappeared as is his habit around this time of tour each year. The focus changes from adjustments to flat out making every drill set crystal clear.